This monograph examines Chinese warfare and suggests that three and a half millennia of Chinese military history have produced a distinctive and enduring Chinese way of war. While the art and science of war in China have evolved considerably throughout its history, the characteristics and philosophies of its style of warfare contain some propensities that endure from antiquity to the present. They are: The Chinese military orientation focuses more on the strategic and operational levels of war than the tactical. The Chinese prefer strategic maneuver warfare to attritional or other forms of warfare. Chinese warfare emphasizes the importance of shaping operations, the arrangement of the conditions of the war, campaign, or battlefield in one's favor before initiating combat. Finally, deception and unorthodox warfare play a leading role in Chinese martial philosophy and conduct of war. These four propensities of the Chinese way of war are general trends that emerge when the entire span of Chinese warfare is broadly considered. Rooted in the philosophy and theories of the great military classics of ancient Chinese, these propensities provide continuities in the warfighting styles, traditions, and preferences of Chinese armies throughout history. While none of the four propensities of Chinese warfare are practiced by China alone, when aggregated they form a broad approach to warfighting that is unlike that of any other country in the world. The distinctiveness of the Chinese way of war is a product of China's unique cultural traditions, religious and social philosophies, and historical evolution. Focusing on the operational level of war, this study examines the Chinese way of war by analyzing a major Chinese military campaign in three distinct historical eras, the late Han Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty, and the Modern Era. The goal of this study is to broaden the U.S. military's understanding of Chinese warfare throughout history and to inform American military professionals about some of the implications of the Chinese way of war. As the US and China become increasingly interdependent, the impetus and motivation to better understand each other grows. Regardless of whether the near future of these two global powers is friendly or adversarial, it is critically important for US military leaders and other strategic decision makers to better understand and appreciate Chinese strategic orientations, the continuities and propensities of its operational art, and its general philosophical views on warfare.

ADA 523450 Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)